Electroformed sputtering target

ABSTRACT

A sputtering target comprising an inverted annular trough encircling a central cylindrical well, and additionally comprising a plurality of electroplated layers of sputtering material is described. The sputtering material comprises at least one of aluminum, copper, tantalum, titanium and tungsten.

CROSS-REFERENCE

This application is filed as a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/431,399 to Subramani et al., “ELECTROFORMED SPUTTERINGTARGET”, commonly assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., which was filedon May 6, 2003 and which is incorporated by reference herein in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to sputtering targets and their methods ofmanufacture.

A sputtering chamber is used to sputter deposit material onto asubstrate to manufacture electronic circuits, such as for example,integrated circuit chips and displays. Typically, the sputtering chambercomprises an enclosure wall that encloses a process zone into which aprocess gas is introduced, a gas energizer to energize the process gas,and an exhaust port to exhaust and control the pressure of the processgas in the chamber. The chamber is used to sputter deposit a materialfrom a sputtering target onto the substrate, such as a metal forexample, aluminum, copper, tungsten or tantalum; or a metal compoundsuch as tantalum nitride, tungsten nitride or titanium nitride. In thesputtering processes, the sputtering target is bombarded by energeticions, such as a plasma, causing material to be knocked off the targetand deposited as a film on the substrate.

In one version, a sputtering target may be formed by holding a sheet ofspin-formed sputtering material against the surface of a target backingplate and diffusion-bonding the sputtering material to the backing plateby hot isostatic pressing. However, this method has severaldisadvantages. The sputtering material required to form the spin-formedsheet typically has to have a high level of purity, and consequently, isexpensive. Target fabrication costs are driven even higher because bothsurfaces of the sheet of sputtering material are typically machinedsmooth to facilitate diffusion bonding to the underlying backing plateas well as to provide a smooth exposed sputtering surface. Targetsformed by such a method can be undesirable because they can have a grainstructure that is sheared by the forces generated in the spin-formingprocess, resulting in non-uniform grain sizes. Also, the targets canhave undesirable pores and voids occurring in the bond between thebacking plate and sputtering material. During processing, thenon-uniform grain size and voids of the target can generate sputtereddeposits that are non-uniform or uneven in thickness. The non-uniformand uneven deposition of the sputtered material can result in processedsubstrates having inferior quality, and can even damage structuresformed on the substrate.

It is also difficult to form sputtering targets having convoluted orcomplex shapes using conventional processes. Targets having complexshapes are often used to provide enhanced sputtering coverage inmagnetic fields, as described for example in U.S. Pat. No 6,274,008 toGopalraja et al., “Integrated Process for Copper Via Filling,” commonlyassigned to Applied Materials, which is incorporated herein by referencein its entirety. Such targets may comprise for example ridges,projections, rings, troughs, recesses and grooves. Conventionalprocesses such as the spin forming process are not satisfactory informing complex target shapes, because a significant amount of machiningis required to cut out the desired convoluted shape from the spin formedlayer. This machining is costly and wastes the expensive high puritysputtering material. Also, excessive machining can generate shearingforces on the surface of the target which plastically deform the grainson the target surface to produce an undesirable surface grain structure.

Thus, it is desirable to form sputtering targets having more uniform andconsistent grain surface structure and with fewer voids. It is furtherdesirable to form sputtering targets having complex or non-planar shapesreproducibly and with reduced costs.

DRAWINGS

These features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention willbecome better understood with regard to the following description,appended claims, and accompanying drawings which illustrate examples ofthe invention. However, it is to be understood that each of the featurescan be used in the invention in general, not merely in the context ofthe particular drawings, and the invention includes any combination ofthese features, where:

FIG. 1 a is a partial sectional schematic side view of a version of asubstrate processing chamber;

FIG. 1 b is a partial sectional schematic side view of a magnetronsuitable for the chamber of FIG. 1 a;

FIGS. 2 a through 2 d are partial sectional schematic side viewillustrating stages in electro forming the sputtering target; and

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional schematic side view of a version of anelectroplating apparatus for electro forming a target.

DESCRIPTION

An exemplary version of a chamber 106 capable of sputter depositingmaterial on a substrate 104 is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 a.The chamber 106 is representative of a self-ionized plasma chamber, suchas an SIP+type chamber, developed by Applied Materials, Inc. of SantaClara, Calif. A typical chamber 106 comprises enclosure walls 118 thatinclude sidewalls, 120, a bottom wall 122 and a ceiling 124. A substratesupport 130 is provided to support a substrate 104 in the chamber 106.The substrate support 130 may be electrically floating or may be biasedby a pedestal power supply 210, which may be for example an RF powersupply 203. The substrate 104 is introduced into the chamber 106 througha substrate loading inlet (not shown) in a sidewall 120 of the chamber106 and placed on the support 130. The support 130 can be lifted orlowered by support lift bellows (not shown) and a lift finger assembly(also not shown) can be used to lift and lower the substrate 104 ontothe support 130 during transport of the substrate 104 into and out ofthe chamber 106.

A process gas, such as a sputtering gas, is introduced into the chamber106 through a gas delivery system 150 that includes a process gas supply152 comprising gas sources 154 a-c that each feed a conduit 156 a-chaving a gas flow control valve 158 a-c, such as a mass flow controller,to pass a set flow rate of the gas therethrough. The conduits 156 a-cfeed the gases to a mixing manifold 160 in which the gases are mixed tofrom a desired process gas composition. The mixing manifold 160 feeds agas distributor 162 having one or more gas outlets 164 in the chamber106. The gas outlets 164 may pass through the chamber sidewalls 120 toterminate about a periphery of the substrate support 130. The processgas may comprise a non-reactive gas, such as argon or xenon, thatenergetically impinges upon and sputters material from a target 111. Theprocess gas may also comprise a reactive gas, such as one or more of anoxygen-containing gas and a nitrogen-containing gas, that are capable ofreacting with the sputtered material to form a layer on the substrate104. Spent process gas and byproducts are exhausted from the chamber 106through an exhaust system 168 which includes one or more exhaust ports170 that receive spent process gas and pass the spent gas to an exhaustconduit 172 in which there is a throttle valve 174 to control thepressure of the gas in the chamber 106. The exhaust conduit 172 feedsone or more exhaust pumps 176. Typically, the pressure of the sputteringgas in the chamber 106 is set to sub-atmospheric levels.

The sputtering chamber 106 further comprises a sputtering target 111facing a surface 105 of the substrate 104. The target 111 can be aplanar target (not shown) or a non-planar target (shown). The sputteringchamber 106 can also comprise a shield 128 to protect a wall 118 of thechamber 106 from sputtered material, and typically, to also serve as ananode with respect to the cathode target 111. The shield 128 may beelectrically floating or grounded. The target 111 is electricallyisolated from the chamber 106 and is connected to a target power supply200, such as a pulsed DC power source, but which may also be other typesof voltage sources. In one version, the target power supply 200, target111, and shield 128 operate as a gas energizer 180 that is capable ofenergizing the sputtering gas to sputter material from the target 111.The target power supply 200 applies a bias voltage to the target 111relative to the shield 128. The electric field generated in the chamber106 from the voltage applied to the sputtering target 111 energizes thesputtering gas to form a plasma that energetically impinges upon andbombards the target 111 to sputter material off the target and onto thesubstrate 104. A suitable pulsing frequency of a pulsed DC voltage forenergizing the process gas may be, for example, at least about 50 kHz,and more preferably less than about 300 kHz, and most preferably about100 kHz. A suitable DC voltage level to energize the process gas may be,for example, from about 200 to about 800 Volts.

The chamber 106 further comprises a magnetron 300 comprising a magneticfield generator 301 that generates a magnetic field near the target 111of the chamber 106 to increase an ion density in a high-density plasmaregion 226 adjacent to the target 111 to improve the sputtering of thetarget material, as shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b. An improved magnetron300 may be used to allow sustained self-sputtering of copper orsputtering of aluminum, titanium, or other metals—while minimizing theneed for non-reactive gases for target bombardment purposes, as forexample, described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,614 to Fu, entitled “RotatingSputter Magnetron Assembly”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,274,008 to Gopalraja etal., entitled “Integrated Process for Copper Via Filling,” both of whichare incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The magneticfield extends through the substantially non-magnetic target 111 into thesputtering chamber 106. In one version, the improved magnetron 300comprises a magnetic field generator 301 having magnets 307 that extendalong one or more sidewalls of the target 111 and are connected by amagnetic yoke 310, as shown in FIG. 1 b. The magnets 307 may compriseone or more of an inner magnet and outer magnet that are connectedtogether by a yoke 310 that is formed of a magnetically soft material.The magnetic field generator 301 comprising the magnets 307 provides anenhanced magnetic field 309 in the region 226 enclosed by the targetsidewalls, thereby increasing the density of the plasma in the region226. In another version, the magnetron 300 comprises a motor 306 torotate the magnetron 300 about a rotation axis 312 to provide anenhanced magnetic field, as shown in FIG. 1 b. The motor 306 istypically attached to the magnetic yoke 310 of the magnetron 300 by ashaft 308 that extends along the rotation axis 312.

The chamber 106 can be operated by a controller 311 comprising acomputer that sends instructions via a hardware interface to operate thechamber components, including the substrate support 130 to raise andlower the substrate support 130, the gas flow control valves 158 a-c,the gas energizer 180, and the throttle valve 174. The processconditions and parameters measured by the different detectors in thechamber 106, or sent as feedback signals by control devices such as thegas flow control valves 158 a-c, pressure monitor (not shown), throttlevalve 174, and other such devices, are transmitted as electrical signalsto the controller 311. Although, the controller 311 is illustrated byway of an exemplary single controller device to simplify the descriptionof present invention, it should be understood that the controller 311may be a plurality of controller devices that may be connected to oneanother or a plurality of controller devices that may be connected todifferent components of the chamber 106—thus, the present inventionshould not be limited to the illustrative and exemplary embodimentsdescribed herein.

In one version, a target 111 suitable for use in a sputtering chamber106 comprises a complex shape, such as a shape comprising a non-planarsurface 24, as shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b. The target 111 is typicallycircularly symmetric with respect to a main vertical axis of the chamber106, and may comprise ridges, projections, rings, troughs, recesses,grooves or other topological features that enhance processing of thesubstrates 104. A target 111 having a complex shape has been discoveredto provide improved sputtering properties, as described for example inaforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,274,008. The target 111 having thecomplex shape provides improved process performance by accommodatingmagnets 307 in proximity to and surrounding high density plasma regions226 adjacent to the target 111, as shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, or byotherwise providing for an enhanced magnetic field 309 that allows for alarge thickness or volume of a sputtering plasma in high density plasmaregions 226 adjacent to the target 111. The target 111 having thecomplex shape may also serve to improve deposition uniformity byregulating the effective target area to which portions of the substrateare exposed. For example, a recessed portion of the target 111, such asa trough 8, may be effectively hidden from regions of the substrate 104that are more distant from the recessed portion, such as an outer edge103 of the substrate 104, and thus deposition of material from therecessed portion onto the more distant regions of the substrate 104 maybe reduced.

The target 111 comprises an inverted annular trough 8 comprisingcylindrical outer and inner sidewalls 4,6 and a top wall 5 that at leastpartially enclose a high density region 226. The annular trough 8encircles a central portion of the target 111 comprising a cylindricalwell 7 that projects downwards towards the surface 105 of the substrate104. The cylindrical inner sidewall 6 defines the sides of thecylindrical well 7, and the cylindrical well 7 is capped by a bottomwall 9 that faces the substrate 104. The bottom wall 9 and top walls 5can be substantially parallel to the surface 105 of the substrate 104,and the inner and outer sidewalls 4,6 can be substantially perpendicularto the surface 105 of the substrate 104. At least a portion of thesurface 24 of the side, top and bottom walls 4,5,6,9, comprises thesputtering material to be sputtered on the substrate 104. The invertedannular trough 8 and cylindrical well 7 can accommodate magnets 307positioned between the outer sidewall 4 of the trough and the sidewall120 or ceiling 124 of the chamber enclosure 118 and even within thespace enclosed between the bottom and sidewalls 9, 6 of the cylindricalwell 7 and ceiling 124 of the chamber enclosure 118, thereby providingan enhanced magnetic field 309 in the regions 226 adjacent to the target111. The target 111 may further comprise a flange portion 13 thatextends radially outward from the outer sidewall 4 to attach the target111 to the chamber enclosure walls 118, for example by vacuum sealingthe flange portion 13 of the target 111 between the ceiling 124 andsidewalls 120 of the chamber 106.

The target 111 can be formed in an electro forming process in whichsputtering material is electroplated to form a complex or non-planarshape. Electro forming provides a sputtering material having a highpurity and good grain properties, such as a higher uniformity of grainsize. Electro forming can also generate a unitary sputtering materialstructure having fewer pores or voids. The method is suitable forforming targets 111 having sputtering material comprising, for example,one or more of copper, aluminum, tantalum, titanium and tungsten. Themethod generally comprises forming a preform 14 having a surface 16 andelectroplating a layer 12 of sputtering material onto the surface 16 ofthe perform to form the sputtering target 111. FIGS. 2 a through 2 dschematically illustrate stages in an embodiment of a target fabricationprocess.

The target preform 14 provides a support structure on which the layer 12of sputtering material can be electroplated, as shown in FIG. 2 a. Thepreform 14 can comprise the same or a different material than thesputtering material. In one version, the preform 14 comprises a materialthat is more easily shaped than the sputtering material, and may also beof lower purity or less expensive than the sputtering material. Thepreform 14 is desirably formed from a material that is readilyelectroplated by the sputtering material, such as for example, aconducting or semi conducting material that can serve as an anode in anelectroplating process. A suitable preform 14 may comprise, for examplea metal, such as at least one of aluminum, copper, steel and titanium.For example, the preform 14 may comprise an industrial grade copperalloy. In one method of forming the preform 14, the metal material isheated to a molten state and poured into a mold having the desiredpreform shape. Cooling of the molten metal in the mold results in thepreform 14 having the desired shape. The molded metal can also bemachined or otherwise shaped to form features in the target preform 14.

The preform 14 can comprise a complex shape, such as a non-planar bottomsurface 16, that at least partially defines the shape of the layer 12 ofsputtering material electroplated over the surface 16. In the versionshown in FIG. 2 a, the preform 14 comprises an inverted annular trough 8and central cylindrical well 7 having inner and outer cylindricalsidewalls 6,4 that are positioned to from a partially obtuse angle withthe top wall 5 of the trough 8 such that the cylindrical sidewalls 6,4form an angle with respect to one another of from about 5° to about 30°,thus forming a trough 8 having a width that narrows towards the top wall5 of the trough 8. The preform 14 having the complex shape serves as asupport structure for the formation of the non-planar electroplatedlayer 12.

Sputtering material is electroplated onto the preform 14 to form theelectroplated layer 12 via an electroplating process. In theelectroplating process, one or more surfaces of the preform 14, such asone or more of the top and bottom surfaces 25,16 is exposed to anelectroplating bath solution 403 in an electroplating apparatus 405, asshown in FIG. 3. The electroplating solution comprises an aqueoussolution having electrolytes comprising the sputtering materialdissolved therein. For example, the electroplating solution may compriseone or more of a copper-containing solution, such as CuSO₄, analuminum-containing solution, such as AlSO₄, a tantalum-containingsolution, a titanium-containing solution and a tungsten-containingsolution. A bias voltage is applied to the surface 16 of the preform 14via a voltage source 400 that is electrically connected to the surface16 of the preform 14. The voltage source 400 is also connected to anelectrode 404 that is in electrical communication with the surface 16,for example via the conducting electroplating solution 403. Theelectrode 404, may comprise an inert material or may be at leastpartially formed from a sputtering material, such as copper. The biasvoltage from the voltage source induces the build up of a negativecharge on the surface 16 of preform 14. This negative charge reducesdissolved ions and electrolytes in solution containing the sputteringmaterial to their elemental state at the surface 16 of the preform 14,thereby forming the layer 12 of electroplated sputtering material on thesurface 16. In other words, the sputtering material is “plated out” onthe surface 16 of the preform 14. For example, copper ions from a coppersulfate electrolyte dissolved in solution are reduced to elementalcopper at the surface 16 of the preform 14 upon application of the biasvoltage, thereby “plating out” a layer 12 of copper on the surface 16 ofthe preform 14.

The shape of the electroplated layer 12 at least partially conforms tothe shape of the underlying surface 16 of the preform 14. For example,for a preform 14 having a non-planar surface 16, such as that shown inFIG. 2 a, the electroplated layer 12 formed on the surface 16 alsocomprises a non-planar surface 18, and may comprise a complex shapecomprising the inverted annular trough 8 and central cylindrical well 7.Thus, the shape of the surface 16 of the preform 14 is at leastpartially transferred to the electroplated layer via the electroplatingprocess. The electroplated layer may be grown on the surface 16 to athickness of, for example, from about 0 μm to about 1 μm, such as about0.5 μm. The thickness of the electroplated layer may even be at leastabout 0.5 μm, and even at least about 1 82 m.

The conditions maintained during the electroplating process, such as theconcentration and composition of the electrolytes, the applied biasvoltage, the pH of the bath solution and the temperature of the solutionmay be selected to provide an electroplated layer 12 having the desiredcomposition and structure. Also, in addition or as an alternative to anaqueous (water-based) electroplating solution, the solution can comprisean organic solvent. In one version of a suitable electro formingprocess, sputtering material comprising elemental copper is formed onthe non-planar surface 16 of the perform 14 by immersing the surface 16in an aqueous solution comprising from about 150 to about 300 g/LCuSO₄.5H₂O, and even from about 210 to about 214 g/L CuSO₄.5H₂O. Thesolution further comprises from about 30 g/L to about 100 g/L H₂SO₄, andeven from about 52 g/L to about 75 g/L H₂SO₄. The electrode 404 can beformed from wrought phosphorized copper or oxygen free copper (OFC). Thetemperature of the solution is maintained at from about 15° C. to about45° C., and even from about 21° C. to about 32° C. A bias voltage isapplied at a power level sufficient to provide a current density of fromabout 0.5 A/dm² (amps per decimeter squared) to about 20 A/dm², and evenfrom about 1 A/dm² to about 10 A/dm². A batch electro forming processcan be performed to simultaneously form the electroplated layer 12 on anumber of performs 14, such as from about 10 to 20 preforms 14.

In one version, at least a portion of a surface of the preform 14 may bemasked to inhibit the electroplating of the sputtering material onto thesurface. Masking of the surface allows for selective plating of thesputtering. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 b, a mask 17 may be providedto at least partially cover the top surface 25 of the preform 14 toallow electroplating of the sputtering materials substantially only onthe bottom surface 16 of the preform 14. In one version, the surface maybe masked by applying a less conductive material, such as a polymer orother dielectric material, to the surface to be masked. The lessconductive material inhibits the build-up of charge on the surface 25,thereby inhibiting the reduction of sputtering materials in the solutiononto the surface 25 of the preform 14. Masking of one or more surfacemay be particularly desirable in cases where the preform 14 has acomplex shape or non-planar shape in which exposure of the surface to beelectroplated may also expose other surfaces of the preform 14. The mask17 can be subsequently removed after an electroplating step is performedFollowing electroplating of the sputtering material, the surface 18 ofthe electroplated layer 12 can be cleaned in a wet or dry cleaningprocess. The cleaning process removes particulates and other impuritiesfrom the surface 18 of the electroplated layer 12. In one version, thesurface 18 of the electroplated layer is cleaned in a wet cleaningprocess comprising an acid rinse. In the acid rinse, the surface 18 isimmersed in an aqueous acidic solution such as HCl, to removeparticulates from the surface 18 of the layer 12. A de-ionized waterrinse can also be performed to remove any particulates loosened from thesubstrate 104 during the acid rinse and neutralize any remaining acid.The surface of the electroplated layer 12 can also be cleaned by anultrasonic rinse that dislodges any loose particulates from the surfaceof the layer via ultrasonic vibrations. The surface of the electroplatedlayer 12 can further be machined or otherwise polished before or afterthe cleaning steps to provide a smooth surface 18 for the sputteringprocess.

The electroplated layer 12 of sputtering material provides severaladvantages. Because the electroplated sputtering material is “grown”from the surface 16 of the preform 14, the layer 12 of sputteringmaterial has a high uniformity of sputtering material grain size. Forexample, a layer 12 having a uniform sputtering material grain size offrom about 10 to about 100 μm can be achieved. This high grain sizeuniformity increases the uniformity of the layers of material sputteredonto the substrate 104, and reduces the occurrence of undesirably largegrains or “clumps” or sputtering material that could damage orcontaminate the substrate 104. The electroplated sputtering materialgrown on the surface 16 of the preform 14 forms a strong bond to thepreform 14 and forms a continuous and unitary structure through out thelayer 12, thus reducing the incidence of pores and voids in the layer 12and between the layer 12 and preform 14. A further advantage is thatmachining of the top surface 25 of the preform 14 and bottom surface 16of the electroplated layer 12 is not required to bond the electroplatedlayer 12 to the preform 14. Yet another advantage of the method offabricating the target 111 is that a target 111 having a complex shapemay be manufactured substantially without extensive machining of acostly bulk sputtering material to form a target 111 having the desiredshape, by “growing” the sputtering material on a surface 16 of a preform14 comprising a complex shape that is at least partially transferred tothe overlying conformal electroplated layer 12.

In one version, at least a portion of the preform 14 is removedfollowing formation of the electroplated layer 12. The preform 14 isdesirably at least partially removed to expose a portion of a topsurface 22 of the electroplated layer 12. In one version, the preform 14is even substantially entirely removed from the electroplated layer 12to expose substantially the entire top surface 22 of the electroplatedlayer 12, as shown for example in FIG. 2 c. Desirably, the portion ofthe preform 14 is removed by a method that allows for removal of atleast a portion of the preform 14 substantially without damaging theelectroplated layer 12. The preform 14 can be at least partially removedby, for example, machining away portions of the preform 14 from theelectroplated layer 12.

A subsequent electroplating process can be performed to electroplate oneor more additional layers 20 a,b of sputtering material onto theoriginal or first layer 12, as shown for example in FIG. 2 d. Thesubsequent electroplating process allows for the formation of anelectroplated target 111 a comprising a desired thickness of sputteringmaterial. The additional layers 20 a,b of sputtering material areelectroplated on at least one of the top surface 22 and the bottomsurface 18 of the first electroplated layer 12. The sputtering materialcan be electroplated on the top surface 22 of the first layer 12 and onportions of the bottom surface 18 of the first layer 12 that have beenexposed by removal of the preform 14 from the layer 12. In one version,a portion of the top or bottom surface can be masked to selectivelyelectroplate material substantially on only one of the surfaces. Inanother version, both the top and bottom surfaces 22,18 of the firstlayer 12 are electroplated, as shown for example in FIG. 2 d. Thesubsequent electroplated layers 20 a,b are “grown” out of the firstelectroplated layer 12 via the electroplating process, and thus thefirst electroplated layer 12 and subsequent electroplated layers 20 a,bform a unitary and continuous structure that is absent a discrete andsharp crystalline boundary therebetween, as schematically illustrated inFIG. 2 d with a dotted line. Accordingly, the electroplated layers 12,20 a,b form a strongly bonded and continuous target structure 113 havingenhanced properties, such as improved grain size uniformity and fewerpores or voids.

The subsequent layers 20 a,b may be electroplated at varying rates alongthe surface of the first layer 12 having the non-planar surfaces 18,22and complex shape shown in FIGS. 2 b through 2 d. The layers 20 a,b areelectroplated at a faster rate on the “open” regions of surfaces 18,22of the non-planar layer 12, such as on bottom surface 18 of the bottomwall 9 of the cylindrical well 7 and on the top surface 22 of the upperwalls 5 of the inverted annular trough 8, where the open shape of thefirst electroplated layer 12 allows better access of reactive ions andelectrolytes in the electroplating solution to the surfaces 18,22 of thelayer 12. Portions of the first non-planar layer 12 such as the bottomsurface 18 of the top wall 5 and top surface 22 of the bottom wall 9grow the electroplated layer at a slower rate due to the proximity ofinner and outer sidewalls 6,4 surrounding these regions that at leastpartially restrict the flow and access of reactive ions and electrolytesto these surfaces. Because of this electroplating rate distribution, thegrowth of the subsequent electroplated layers 20 a 20 b forms inner andouter target structure sidewalls 6,4 that are more perpendicular to thesurface 105 of the substrate 104 and bottom and top walls 9,5 of thetarget than the original target preform sidewalls 6,4, thereby providingthe desired target shape, as shown for example in FIGS. 2 d and 1 athrough 1 b. The electroplating process may be performed to grow a layer2 b of sputtering material on the top surface 22 of the first layer 12comprising a thickness of from about 0.1 μm to about 1 μm, such as about0.5 μm, and may even be at least about 0.5 μm, and even at least about 1μm. A layer 20 a of sputtering material may be grown on the bottomsurface 18 of the first electroplated layer 12 via the electroplatingprocess to a thickness of from about 0.1 μm to about 1 μm, such as about0.5 μm, and may even be at least about 0.5 μm, and even at least about 1μm.

The subsequent layers 20 a,b may be applied in an electro formingprocess comprising the same process conditions, such as electrolyteconcentration, bias voltage, pH and temperature, as in the first electroforming process to electroplate the first layer 12, or may comprisedifferent process conditions. A suitable duration of the electro formingprocess to form the electroformed layer may be from about 12.5 to about25 hours. Following the electroplating process, the target 111comprising the multiple layers 12, 20 a,b of sputtering material may befurther machined to provide the desired target dimensions and to providea smooth target surface 24 and may also be cleaned to removeparticulates from the surface 24.

The above described method provides a target 111 comprising one or moreelectroplated layers 12, 20 a,b having improved properties in theprocessing of substrates. The method is suited for the formation oftargets 111 having planar or non-planar surfaces 24 and may even beperformed to fabricate targets having complex convoluted shapes, such asthe target 111 shown in FIGS. 1 a,b and 2 d. Although the presentinvention has been described in considerable detail with regard tocertain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Forexample, the present invention could be used to form targets havingother shapes than those specifically mentioned, and could be used toform targets comprising other sputtering materials besides thosementioned. The process chamber 106 may also comprise other equivalentconfigurations as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.Thus, the appended claims should not be limited to the description ofthe preferred versions contained herein.

1. A sputtering target comprising (i) an inverted annular troughcomprising cylindrical outer and inner sidewalls and a top wall, theinverted annular trough encircling a central cylindrical well having abottom wall, and (ii) a plurality of electroplated layers of sputteringmaterial comprising a first layer of sputtering material having anunderlying surface and a second layer of sputtering material depositedonto the underlying surface of the first layer, the first and secondlayers being absent a discrete crystalline boundary therebetween, andthe sputtering material comprising at least one of aluminum, copper,tantalum, titanium and tungsten.
 2. A target according to claim 1wherein the first and second electroplated layers of sputtering materialconsists essentially of copper, tantalum, titanium, aluminum ortungsten.
 3. A target according to claim 1 wherein the first and secondelectroplated layers comprise grains having a grain size of from about10 μm to about 100 μm.
 4. A target according to claim 1 comprisingadditional electroplated layers.
 5. A sputtering method comprising: (a)placing a substrate in a sputtering chamber; (b) providing in thechamber, a sputtering target comprising an inverted annular troughcomprising cylindrical outer and inner sidewalls and a top wall, theinverted annular trough encircling a central cylindrical well having abottom wall, and the sputtering target further comprising first andsecond electroplated layers of sputtering material, the first layer ofsputtering material having an underlying surface and the second layer ofsputtering material deposited onto the underlying surface of the firstlayer, and the first and second layers being absent a discretecrystalline boundary therebetween; (c) providing a process gas in thesputtering chamber; and (d) electrically biasing the target relative toa wall or support in the chamber to energize the process gas to sputtermaterial from the target onto the substrate.
 6. A method according toclaim 5 wherein (b) comprises mounting the target in the sputteringchamber so that the second layer of sputtering material faces a surfaceof the substrate.
 7. A sputtering chamber comprising: (a) a substratesupport; (b) a sputtering target facing the substrate support, thesputtering target comprising an inverted annular trough comprisingcylindrical outer and inner sidewalls and a top wall, the invertedannular trough encircling a central cylindrical well having a bottomwall, and the sputtering target further comprising first and secondelectroplated layers of sputtering material, the first layer ofsputtering material having an underlying surface and the second layer ofsputtering material deposited onto the underlying surface of the firstlayer such that the first and second layers of sputtering material areabsent a discrete crystalline boundary therebetween; (c) a gas deliverysystem to provide a gas in the chamber; (d) a gas energizer to energizethe gas to sputter the sputtering material from the sputtering targetand onto the substrate; and (e) an exhaust system to exhaust the gas. 8.A chamber according to claim 7 wherein the first and secondelectroplated layers comprise least one of copper, aluminum, tantalum,titanium and tungsten.
 9. A chamber according to claim 7 wherein thefirst and second electroplated layers comprise grains having a grainsize of from about 10 μm to about 100 μm.
 10. A chamber according toclaim 7 wherein the first and second electroplated layers compriseadditional electroplated layers.
 11. A sputtering target comprising aninverted annular trough comprising cylindrical outer and inner sidewallsand a top wall, the inverted annular trough encircling a centralcylindrical well having a bottom wall, the target further comprising aplurality of electroplated layers of sputtering material that include afirst electroplated layer of sputtering material and a secondelectroplated layer of sputtering material deposited onto a surface ofthe first electroplated layer, and the first and second electroplatedlayers forming a unitary structure that is absent a sharp crystallineboundary therebetween.
 12. A target according to claim 11 wherein theplurality of electroplated layers of sputtering material comprise atleast one of aluminum, copper, tantalum, titanium and tungsten.
 13. Atarget according to claim 11 wherein the plurality of electroplatedlayers of sputtering material comprise grains having a grain size offrom about 10 μm to about 100 μm.
 14. A sputtering target comprising:(a) an inverted annular trough comprising cylindrical outer and innersidewalls and a top wall, the inverted annular trough encircling acentral cylindrical well having a bottom wall; and (b) first and secondelectroplated layers of sputtering material, wherein the first layer ofsputtering material has a surface and the second layer of sputteringmaterial is deposited onto the surface of the first layer to form aunitary and continuous structure that is absent a discrete and sharpcrystalline boundary therebetween, the sputtering material comprisinggrains of at least one of aluminum, copper, tantalum, titanium, andtungsten, the grains having a grain size of from about 10 μm to about100 μm.
 15. A target according to claim 14 comprising additionalelectroplated layers.
 16. A sputtering method comprising: (a) placing asubstrate in a sputtering chamber; (b) providing in the chamber, asputtering target comprising an inverted annular trough comprisingcylindrical outer and inner sidewalls and a top wall, the invertedannular trough encircling a central cylindrical well having a bottomwall, and the target further comprising first and second electroplatedlayers of sputtering material that include a first electroplated layerof sputtering material having an underlying surface and a secondelectroplated layer of sputtering material deposited onto the underlyingsurface of the first layer such that the first and second electroplatedlayers form a unitary structure that is absent a sharp crystallineboundary, and the sputtering material comprising at least one ofaluminum, copper, tantalum, titanium and tungsten; (c) providing aprocess gas in the sputtering chamber; and (d) electrically biasing thetarget relative to a wall or support in the chamber to energize theprocess gas to sputter material from the target onto the substrate. 17.A method according to claim 16 wherein (b) comprises the target facing asurface of the substrate.